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` r series of plates beingcam-formed for n' the 'UNITED STATES PATENT @iT-TICE- y LEWIS JENNINGS, OFNEW YORK, N; Y.

nEvoLvrNe PLATE A Nn rUivrBLER-LOCK.

Specication of Letters llatent No. 7,244, dated April 2, 1850.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, LEWIS JENNINGS, of

`the city, "county, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Ini-` provements in the Permutationor Combination "Lock for Banks, Vaults, and other Doors;` and that `the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle orcharacter which distinguishes them from all `other things before vknown and of the manner of making, constructing, and using the same, refe-rence being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification in'which--- Figure lis a view of the lock. n Fig. 2, a like viewwith the plate which secures the parts removed. i Fig.3 a longitudinal section taken "at theiline (A, 05,) of Fig. l. Fig. 4, another section vtaken at the line (13,12) ofFig. Fig. 5, an elevation of the key, and Fig. l() a perspective view of the lock with part of the case in red lines. The other sections will `be referred tohereafter. The same letters indicate like parts in all the gures. y

"The first part of my invention consists in arranging within a cylindrical cavity a series 0f permutation plates each pierced with l a central hole to receive theentirebody of the key and with a projection therein to re eeive the action of the key and with a recessor recesses in the outer periphery to receive a tumbler when all of them have been brought around `to the properpoint, the key being made ofla series of plates corresponding in number with the permutation plates and each having a recess of different length to actin successioni on the permutation plates to bring them` to the proper position for the reception of the tumbler, one of the purpose of operating the tumbler.

i The secondpar'tof my 'invention consists in `arranging theK permutation plates and tumbler within a rotatingl cylinder `or other l' case surrounded byf a permanent Hauch or case properly recessed for the reception of` the tumbler whenheld out bythe permutation plates to prevent the said rotating cylinder or casefrom turning when locked.`

` Thethirdpart ofiny invention consists in arranging with the rotating cylinder or case which contains the permutation plates and tumbler, 'an eccentric fitted to a `yoke on the boltlfor the purpose ofjthrowing the bolt, the eccentricbeing at the dead point `when the bolt is thrown out that any presi sure applied directly to the bolt to force it in may have no tendency to turn the `eccentric, and also with the view to render the whole lock compact. And the lastpartof my invention consists in making the recesses in the plates ofthe key of'different lengths but all starting from the same line, to bring the permutation plates in the proper posi tion for inserting and withdrawing the key. 'n 11n the vaccompanying drawings (a) represents the lock case, the `form of which may be varied at pleasure, and (Z2) the main bolt the rear end of which is formed into `a yoke (c) to embrace an eccentric (CQ bythero` tation of which the bolt is forcec' in and out. The eccentric isattached to and made apart of a ,hollow cylinder (e) whichhas its bear-` ings in the lockcase, and ina securing plate (f) and its upper end is bored out toreceive the shank (g) of the key (la.) and grooved at (i) to receive a short feather or bitt (j) on the key stem by which the cylinder is rotated; but this groove only runs parallel with theaXis for a short `distance and then it runs in the direction `of the periphery for i nearly the entire circumference, so that when the key is inserted it has to be turned nearlyoneentire revolution before the cylinder and eccentric are acted on to gbe turned. y

centric is at its dead point and therefore any pressure applied directly tothe bolt to throw it back will be effectually resisted and will not be felt by the permutation tumblers and plates to be hereafter described. On theshank ofthe key there are arranged a series ofkey plates (Z) which are pierced with a central hole and fitted by a feather onto a stein (frm) let into a central hole in the shank of the key and there secured by a screw (7l/)ij A portion (o) of the periphery of these plates is cut out `in the direction of the periphery all starting from a line (p) parallel with the aXis (see the plan of one of them in Fig. 7,) but no two of the plates should` be cut out t0 the same distance. T he head (g) of the stem is of the same diameter as the plates but of greater thickness, and this is `in like manner cut or recessed out. e

The varying length of the portion cut out of each may be governed by the `following rule: In the present lock there are 16 permutation plates, therefore 16l key plates with the head (9,) `which makes 17. The head (g) is to be cut out to the shortest distance from the line (p) and thenthe remaining portion of the circle is to be divided into 18 or moreparts, that is, a greater number than the number of plates, and each succeeding plate is to have the portion cut out one division longer than the preceding one, so that there shall bea space left between the end of the lon est recess and the line The purpose o this structure of the key will be presently-described.

vIn theV bore of the cylinder (e) is fitted a series of permutation plates (r) equal in number to the number of key plates with a washer (s) (see Fig. 8) interposedbetween every two throughout the series, that the motion of one permutation plate may not be communicated to the other and to prevent the washers from turning by the independent motions of the permutationl plates. They are all formed with a tongue'feather that ts in a groove (t) of the cylinder. All the permutation plates as well as the interposed washers are pierced with a central hole toreceive that part of the key formed by the plates (e) and the head (g) of the stem, and from the inner periphery of each permutation plate projects a small tongue (u) equal to the depth of the part cut out of the key plates, but all of the same length in t-he direction of the periphery, and no longer than the part cut out of the periphery of the head (g,) of the stem, so that when all these tonguesare ranged in the same line the key can be putin and taken out. i

At the further end of the series of permutation plates there is another plate (e) which Iy denominate the tumbler plate, (shown separately in F ig. 9,) the hole in whichvis adapted to receive the head (g) of the key stem. The tongue of this plate being made to fit the groove or recess in the periphery of the head (Q) ofthe key stem. When all the plates are inserted in the cylinder another plate is put in with a spring interposed between it and a cap plate (y) attached to the lock case by screws (c, 2,) by which the whole is secured, the

spring Vbeing interposed to prevent the permutation plates froin binding and yet to keep them close together.

There is a tumbler (a) which turns on a -fulcrum pin, (c) that passes through ears permanent flanch of the lock case and surrounding one end of the cylinder.

A spring (cl) is placed under the projecting arm of the tumbler, the tension of which spring always tends to force the tumbler inward. The permutation plates aswell as the washers have all of them a recess (6) in their outer periphery of sufiicient breadth and depth to receive the tumbler when forced in; andl all the permutation plates have a similar recess (f) of much less depth than the recess '(e) and made in that part of the periphery opposite to the tongue, so that when these permutation plates are ranged with the tongues all in the same line, which isv effected by the line (29,) of the recesses in the key plates. l/Vhen the key is in a position to be withdrawn the tumbler will fall Y into the recess of all the permutation plates, and prevent them from being shifted while the key is out. Other recesses similar to (f) are made promiscuously in the periphery of all these plates to act as deceptions in case of any attempt to pick the lock.

The periphery of the plate (c) (see section Figy9) is cylindrical to fit the inside periphery of the cylinder, and at two points (g) and (L) it has two cam formeddepressions being for the purpose of permitting the tumbler at the .proper time, to enter the recesses of the permutation plates. the faces of these cam formed recesses being such by its rotation as to force the tumbler v out of the recesses that the permutation plates may be turned by the key. When the tumbler is forced out of the recesses (e) of the permutation plates, its outer face enters a recess made in a flange (j) of the lock case which surrounds the cylinder and therefore locks the cylinder to prevent it froml being turned. In this way the bolt is eifectually locked. The operation is as follows, to wit: r

The permutation plates and the tumbler plate are in the position in which the tumbler lies Vin the recesses (f) so that the tongues'of the whole of them are in the same line and in sucha position to receive the key plates while the bitt or pin (j) on the key shank coincides with and may enter the groove in the head of the cylinder. The parts being thus situated the key is inserted and as the pin or bitt (j) is free to turn in the horizontal part of the groove nearly one entire revolution. The tumbler plate which has the 'shortest recess is turned first, which forces the tumbler out of the recesses (f) of the permutation plates, thus liberating them that each may be turned in succession by its corresponding key-plate until the recesses (e) of each plate are brought in a line. At the same time the cam groove (g) of the tumbler plate comes into line which permits the tumbler to enter, that its outer face may become flush with the outer periphery of the cylinder. 4

The cylinder is then free to turn that the eccentric attached thereto may move the bolt. When this has been done the key is is@ y turned in the reverse direction. The tum,- bler plate iirst forces outthe tumblerbeyond the periphery of the permutation plates, and then the rotation of the key is continued until the cam groove (zf) of. the

tumbler plate permits the tumbler to enterY the recesses (f) of the permutation plates. In this position the key can be withdrawn, not only the bolt but the tumbler being locked.V4 y

To give time to the tumbler toenter the recesses of the permutation `plates when brought into the proper position, there are l, two cam like projections (7a 15,) on opposite sides of the cylinder, which, when the cylinder is turned, force outa spring dog '(Z) connected with another dog (m) which, by the outward motion of the irst,

is made to enter a recess (n) in the periphery of the cylinder and there to `hold it until the cam-formed projection has passed the dog (Z) which is immediately forced in by its spring, at the same time drawing the other dog (m) y out of its recess and thereby liberating the cylinder.

As a matter ofconvenience the permutation plates and the key-plates are stamped with corresponding numbers or letters, that the combination may be varied at pleasure. It will beobvious that the key instead of Vbeingmade of separate plates may be cut out of a solidpiece of metal, but this will not present the advantage of changing the combination.

The advantages derived' from my arrange ment of the permutation plates and tumbler and the structure of the key may be `obtained without employing the means herein described for throwing the bolt, as this may be done in any other desired manner, although I prefer the use of the eccentric as herein described for this purpose. But as bolt.

in some instances, as in the case of padlocks,

I` do not use the eccentric for throwing the v Nor is it necessary in all instances to have the cylinders revolve, as the arrangement of key and permutation plates may be employed simply to place the tumbler in -a position to lock the bolt.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure byV Letters Patent isl. The arrangement of a` series of permu-` tation plates in a line and on the same axis `of motion, each having a central hole for the reception of the entire keyand a projecting tongue for the key to act upon, and a recess or recesses on the periphery for the reception of thetumbler; but this, 'I only claim in combination with a tumbler attached to and rotating with the cylinder, substantially as herein described.

2. I also claim making the recesses in the key plates (or `the equivalent thereof) of same line, substantially as herein described, to facilitate the insertion and removal of the key asdescribed. i

3. I also claim the cylinder which contains the permutation plates and which carries the tumbler as above described, in com bination with the permanent flanch, inclosing the same, and having a recess to receive and hold the tumbler when thrown out substantially as described.

4. And finally I claim the arrangement of the eccentric for throwing the bolt with the rotating cylinder carrying the tumbler and containing the-permutation plates as described.

L. J ENNINGS.

Witnesses:

CHAs. M. KELLER, JOHN C. BROWNE.

`diierent lengths but all starting from the i 

